"balls out" - obviously tore his shorts while trying to go in the bushes?

thats figuratively speaking, its hard to get your balls out in a skin.... speaking of skin mv factor 35 8 hour suncream may be waterproof, but i think it rubbed off on the wettie leaving me very badly burned from the end of lap 2 i could feel me grilling on the back of my neck and shoulders...

So get to the flat road by the lake and head for heartbreak having done between 12 and 14mph and I get my own motorbike escort through the busiest parts of town...

... I tried drafting, but the bugger was keeping an eye on me and kept his distance

I'm passing pirates on the run course now and see Big Dave and then FB and others

(having seen and waved to all of them on lap 1 and 2 of the bike, its nice to see pirates again)

I get through to heartbreak, there is one mad guy at the bottom yelling people on but at the first corner i'm going up at 3mph and grind to a halt. So i got off and walked at 4mph

I got to the top and my sis and Mike are still there ( very pleased to see them but now quite f*cked) it's been 9 and a bit hours

*Stop press Jj just realised her watch is on UK time and its not 3.30 here it's 4.30 and her last check in is 5.30 less than an hour away cab is called but will she make it or won't she?*

Which is more exciting? Zilla's race report or Jj's dash to the airport.


[bites fingernails]

anyway - i get back down to T2 again waving at pirates, get changed and try some food in the form of cashews - mmm salt and mini jammie dodgers - mmmm smiley biscuits. Take a water bottle and stuff a dioralyte sached (thanks lindi) in my pocket. Quick count up means i've had 1& 3/4 powerbars a handfull of cashew and and about 5 gels on the course. I got through about 4 waters and two powerades not nearly enough for the amount i was losing.

Nessie, pass me the Pringles please.

Hi 'Dillo.

Salted or Cream Cheese 'n' Chive?

and i still feel sick

now my run belt is a cool last minute buy... 8 go gels on a belt with a small key pocket. I tried it out before race day and and it sits ok on my waist

so i get 4 feet out of transition and its hanging off my ass...

2 minutes later its slung over my shoulder mexican style and i'm trying to run walk the marathon. I'm alredy a lap behind most of the pirates except JB and Punch who i know are still out there

*slinks in with a cup of tea and a packet of biscuits*

This is brightening up my afternoon at work :) (Shame I'm not actually getting any work done)

I drink what seems to be buckets of water and say hello to a lot of pirates I'm running a bit walking a bit but the running is making me sick and a little dizzy, an the knee is complaining, my quads are also playing up with the sort of pre-cramp stiffness you sometimes get on a long run, i decide since i have 6 hours, i'll walk it and avoid crashing out

Ok it sounded good then

Okay - got my coffee for pre speedwork caffeine boost (though this race report may curtail such plans)...

Keep going...

I'm a fast walker and i'm making good time, i'm making better time than some of the pirates who are running. Lots of support trying t get me to run but a lot of the course is in the open, its 30+ degrees and I really am doing ok on the first lap. 10k comes and goes and i'm ok

Zilla - this is amazing stuff. And to think a couple of hours ago I actually contemplated doing one next year!

I'll stick with Nessie, even though I don't like pringles. I'm not getting much work done either, but as they've as good as sacked me today I don't care....

I see the other pirates all looking ok Candy has attached a large white cloth to the back of his run hat and looks like a grinning ginger lawrence of arabia, FB is going strong, lindi has joined up with Ratbag and cougie and Garr are together. Smith just looks like he's going fishing.

debbo i had a bad time put it this way JB got onto the run and just steamed past me on a run walk and Punch overtook me at the end of the second lap doing a run walk.

I made the half in about 3.15-3h20 walking but i only had about 3h 5 min to go.

That's when i got my own official on a bike.

I asked if it was because I was last and she said no no you're not last, so I asked if was because i looked ill and she said yes.

Kinda wish she'd lied.

but you alway look a bit iffy

;o)

Im going to have to read the rest of this at home

This is great stuff Zilla ((( big hug )))) as we're all so proud of you y'know :o)

I'll second that!